Kalt
let the rain wash away
The confusion is written all over her face, and I wonder for a moment where I lost her.
“But Mort will call you back,” she says, her voice hushed and small, making my smirk grow slightly. Right… that hasn’t actually been clarified just yet… “I’ve never heard of more than a night.”
“It’s not a concern,” I start, “I can guarantee that much.”
She smiles up at me, and though I can tell how much of it is genuine versus how much is forced by the unsteadiness of her breath, by the way her eyes are raw all over again, I still love the sight of her smiling.
“It’s really good to see you Dad.”
“Theea—”
“We have to get to Mom before you go!” She blurts, her eyes wide.
“Theea,” I say more insistently that time, stopping her from running with that thought.
I shake my head with a breathed chuckle, the heel of my hand rubbing once over my eye. “I’m not going anywhere.” I take her hand with a gentle squeeze. “That fall might’ve cost me three years with you and your mother, but it didn’t cost me my life. I broke my leg—” I gesture to the metal brace starting near the top of my thigh and reaching midway down my calf, “—so I couldn’t come after you immediately. By the time I finally made it home, you two were gone, so I’ve been looking for you both for years…just unfortunately slowed down a bit by the accident.”
“But Mort will call you back,” she says, her voice hushed and small, making my smirk grow slightly. Right… that hasn’t actually been clarified just yet… “I’ve never heard of more than a night.”
“It’s not a concern,” I start, “I can guarantee that much.”
She smiles up at me, and though I can tell how much of it is genuine versus how much is forced by the unsteadiness of her breath, by the way her eyes are raw all over again, I still love the sight of her smiling.
“It’s really good to see you Dad.”
“Theea—”
“We have to get to Mom before you go!” She blurts, her eyes wide.
“Theea,” I say more insistently that time, stopping her from running with that thought.
I shake my head with a breathed chuckle, the heel of my hand rubbing once over my eye. “I’m not going anywhere.” I take her hand with a gentle squeeze. “That fall might’ve cost me three years with you and your mother, but it didn’t cost me my life. I broke my leg—” I gesture to the metal brace starting near the top of my thigh and reaching midway down my calf, “—so I couldn’t come after you immediately. By the time I finally made it home, you two were gone, so I’ve been looking for you both for years…just unfortunately slowed down a bit by the accident.”
all the pain of yesterday
